Carl Lumbly

Miles Davis (voice)

Reginald Petty

Self - East St. Louis Resident

Quincy Troupe

Self - Writer

Farah Griffin

Self - Writer

Lee Annie Bonner

Self - Childhood Friend

Ashley Kahn

Self - Writer

Benjamin Cawthra

Self - Historian

Jimmy Heath

Self - Musician

Jimmy Cobb

Self - Musician

Dan Morgenstern

Self - Writer

Greg Tate

Self - Writer

Gerald Early

Self - Writer

Quincy Jones

Self - Musician

Wayne Shorter

Self - Musician

Tammy L. Kernodle

Self - Musicologist

Juliette Gréco

Self - Singer

Vincent Bessières

Self - Writer

George Wein

Self - Jazz Promoter

Eugene Redmond

Self - East St. Louis Resident

Carlos Santana

Self - Musician

Herbie Hancock

Self - Musician

Marcus Miller

Self - Musician

Cortez McCoy

Self - Friend

Sandra McCoy

Self - Friend

Jack Chambers

Self - Historian

Frances Davis

Self - Dancer / 1st Wife

René Urtreger

Self - Musician

Joshua Redman

Self - Musician

James Mtume

Self - Musician

Lenny White

Self - Musician

Vince Wilburn Jr.

Self - Nephew

Archie Shepp

Self - Musician

Stanley Crouch

Self - Writer

Cheryl Davis

Self - Daughter

Ron Carter

Self - Musician

Clive Davis

Self - Columbia Records President

Marguerite Cantú

Self - Friend

Erin Davis

Self - Son

Mark Rothbaum

Self - Music Manager

Mike Stern

Self - Musician

Mikel Elam

Self - Personal Assistant

Jo Gelbard

Self - Painter

Wallace Roney

Self - Musician

Miles Davis

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Walter Cronkite

Self - Anchorman (archive footage)

Charlie Parker

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Dizzy Gillespie

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Thelonious Monk

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Johnny Mathis

Self - Singer (archive footage)

Louis Malle

Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)

Jeanne Moreau

Self - Actress (archive footage)

John Coltrane

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Gil Evans

Self - Music Arranger (archive footage)

Tony Williams

Self - Musician (archive footage)

Betty Davis

Self - Singer / 2nd Wife (archive footage)

Prince

Self - Musician (archive footage)